Does every parish have rankings for their altar boys?

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Maxwell03

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Hello! Here in out church we have 6 ranks for our altar boy.

Juniors
Pre-membership: are those boys that are training to become an altar boy they don’t have any functions except to pray the rosary and learn about the catechism

Amicus: are boys that have been given the vestments and are allowed to serve the mass and will learn more prayers, vessels, linens and the use of them and what they look like

Frater: are boys that can become the main server or the leader his main duty is to make sure that everything is in the right order before mass and he should check the credence table. They will learn about the vestments of a priest and deacon, the bishop’s regalia simple parts of the mass and the parts of the church.

Seniors
Servus: Are boys that are allowed to handle the thurible and boat, the processional cross and candle, be the book bearer and mic bearer and also leaders.

MC
Discipulus: I don’t know yet

Apostolus: I don’t know yet either

I’m just interested oon how others rank their boys. Before the renewal and investiture of the altar boys they’ll have to take a test whether they rank up or rank down or just stay at what rank they are at.
 
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Nope. To my experience, that’s a rather rare setup.

You aren’t talking about an EF parish, are you?
 
Wow, that’s impressive…

my parish essentially has 3
Altar servers-white albs- boys and girls- serve daily Mass and weekend Masses
Masters of Ceremonies- Cassocks and surplices- Lead the altar servers in weekend Masses, serve Holy Week liturgies/Christmas Eve/ patronal feast/ procession
Head Master of Ceremonies- In charge of training both altar servers and MCs, coordinates the MCs, is usually the most senior of the MCs
 
Nope. But here we’re very strict as a nun once said to me “Be gentle BUT FIRM!” she ended up destroying her ruler by smacking it on her hand she regretted doing it xD
 
Wow I’m kinds jealous yours look simple! Here we have to suffer but if its for our lord will do!

I’m currently at the rank of servus
 
Nice! yeah- I’m currently an MC.

I can really appreciate your system- it probably creates more devoted servers
 
It really does! Every Saturday we meet up around 9 in the morning to pray the rosary then the meeting comes after. After the meeting we usually fool around (outside the church)
 
Wow, I’ve never heard of rankings for alter boys.

When I was alter boy many years ago, who did what was decided by rock, paper, scissors before each mass.
 
Ha! When I serve Benediction with a friend ( 2 man job - Thurifer and MC) we’ll do the same thing.

for larger Masses, we’ll draw straws
 
Wait seriously? Its very hard here I even need to study the complicated version of the parts of the mass!
 
Your parish must be quite large if you are able to have so many levels of training. Many parishes are desperate to have enough servers at all.

Are you saying your parish only has male servers? 🤔
 
It’s permissible, some would say encouraged.

The Diocese of Lincon does it
 
It’s permissible, but not everyone would agree it’s encouraged.
 
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That’s why I qualified with ‘some would say’

Redemptoris Sacramentum

[47.] It is altogether laudable to maintain the noble custom by which boys or youths, customarily termed servers, provide service of the altar after the manner of acolytes, and receive catechesis regarding their function in accordance with their power of comprehension
 
Yep, everyone wanted to ring the bells or do something. Generally it was the seniors that did it but we had so many alter boys at one point that we had to come up with a system to delegate the tasks.
 
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Our parish has new servers (first year), middle-rank servers and lead servers. There are typically four servers per Mass. Every Mass has to have a lead server (that is, if you are scheduled as a lead, you have to find a lead to substitute for you) and at least one lead server or very experienced middle-rank server for every new server. There are also servers who are incense-trained and servers that have been trained to do bells. That training and becoming a lead is by invitation, but essentially everyone progresses along, provided they even want to be lead servers. (A habit of not showing up when scheduled would result in not being asked to be a lead server.) There is also an enforced dress code that is more strict than the adults would accept for themselves, to be blunt. (No jeans and also no shorts except in exceptionally hot weather, for instance.)

Yes, we are blessed to have exceptionally dedicated altar servers. Some remain in altar serving from fourth grade all the way through high school. We sometimes run a little short, but it is more common for there to be a waiting list. The parishioners are constantly telling the altar servers how much they are appreciated, though.
 
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